King Frederik X and Queen Mary of Denmark celebrate his birthday on the palace balcony at Amalienborg on May 26, 2025 (Stefan Lindblom/TT News Agency/Alamy)
On Monday, the Danish royal family gathered at Amalienborg to celebrate the King’s birthday, complete with a balcony appearance featuring a pair of modern royal brooches.
Members of the Danish royal family celebrate King Frederik X’s birthday on the palace balcony at Amalienborg on May 26, 2025 (Stefan Lindblom/TT News Agency/Alamy)
King Frederik X of Denmark marked his 57th birthday on May 26 with family celebrations at Amalienborg in Copenhagen. During the day, he greeted crowds that had gathered in the square with his family on the balcony of Frederik VIII’s Palace. He was joined by his wife, Queen Mary; three of their children, Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent, and Princess Josephine; and his mother, Queen Margrethe. His eldest son and heir, Crown Prince Christian, is away training with the military.
Queen Mary of Denmark celebrates King Frederik X’s birthday on the palace balcony at Amalienborg on May 26, 2025 (Stefan Lindblom/TT News Agency/Alamy)
For the birthday balcony appearance, Queen Mary wore an elegant royal blue wrap dress with gold and diamond jewelry accessories. Her classic diamond cluster drop earrings were acquired from the auction house Bruun Rasmussen.
Queen Mary of Denmark celebrates King Frederik X’s birthday on the palace balcony at Amalienborg on May 26, 2025 (Stefan Lindblom/TT News Agency/Alamy)
The diamond earrings are antique, but the brooch that Mary pinned to her dress is a modern jewelry piece. The gold and diamond leaf brooch was made by Ole Lynggaard Copenhagen. It’s been in Mary’s jewelry box since at least 2017.
King Frederik X of Denmark and Queen Margrethe celebrate his birthday on the palace balcony at Amalienborg on May 26, 2025 (Stefan Lindblom/TT News Agency/Alamy)
The other prominent jewelry wearer on the balcony, Queen Margrethe, also opted for an earrings-and-brooch combination for the occasion. On her plaid jacket, she pinned the special brooch made by Georg Jensen to commemorate her Golden Jubilee in 2022. Her floral earrings, which feature bright blue lapis lazuli centers, were originally made by A. Michelsen for Queen Ingrid, but have been worn by Margrethe for more than half a century.
Princess Isabella and Queen Mary of Denmark celebrate King Frederik X’s birthday on the palace balcony at Amalienborg on May 26, 2025 (Stefan Lindblom/TT News Agency/Alamy)
The next generation of Danish princesses wore youthful jewelry accessories for the balcony appearance. Princess Isabella’s jewelry included a Dulong initial necklace and a pair of aquamarine stud earrings from her mother’s jewelry box.
Princess Josephine and Queen Mary of Denmark celebrate King Frederik X’s birthday on the palace balcony at Amalienborg on May 26, 2025 (Stefan Lindblom/TT News Agency/Alamy)
An exuberant Princess Josephine wore gold hoops for her father’s birthday celebrations, as well as rings on both hands and bracelets on both wrists.
The King of Denmark presents the Grand Cross of the Order of Dannebrog to his nephews, Count Nikolai and Count Felix, in Copenhagen on May 26, 2025 (Kongehuset)
Inside the palace, there was another splendid decoration moment. The King presented the Grand Cross of the Order of Dannebrog to his nephews, Count Nikolai and Count Felix of Monpezat, the sons of Prince Joachim and his first wife, Countess Alexandra.
The King of Denmark presents the Grand Cross of the Order of Dannebrog to his nephews, Count Nikolai and Count Felix, in Copenhagen on May 26, 2025 (Kongehuset)
Nikolai and Felix were Princes of Denmark until 2023, when Queen Margrethe made the decision to create a junior branch of the family for the children of her second son. With their princely titles removed, Nikolai, Felix, Henrik, and Athena became known as Counts and Countesses of Monpezat, a title derived from one that was used by the family of their grandfather, the late Prince Henrik. The Monpezat title had been awarded by Margrethe to her sons and grandchildren in 2008.
Though the changes were received with some confusion and frustration by Prince Joachim and his family, Queen Margrethe clarified that she wanted Joachim’s children to be able to “shape their own lives to a much greater extent without being limited by the special considerations and duties that a formal affiliation with the Royal House of Denmark as an institution involves.” Any children of Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent, and Princess Josephine will likely receive similar titles in the future if precedent holds.
The King of Denmark presents the Grand Cross of the Order of Dannebrog to his nephews, Count Nikolai and Count Felix, in Copenhagen on May 26, 2025 (Kongehuset)
Those who hold the title of Prince/ss of Denmark traditionally receive the nation’s highest decoration, the Order of the Elephant, on their eighteenth birthdays. Nikolai and Felix, though, did not receive that order. Now, King Frederik has started a new tradition, offering the Dannebrog decoration to his nephews. The Grand Cross of the order is awarded for “very meritorious service to Denmark.” I expect that we’ll see Prince Joachim’s younger children, Count Henrik and Countess Athena, receive the same honor from their uncle when they become adults.